Titans reportedly hosting former Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins on free-agent visit

Former Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins is visiting the Tennessee Titans for a free-agent visit this coming Sunday, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The Cardinals waived Hopkins on May 26 with two years left on his contract in order to free up more than $10 million in cap space for the 2024 season by incurring a cap hit of more than twice that amount this coming year.

Both Titans coach Mike Vrabel and his new offensive coordinator Tim Kelly worked in Houston during Hopkins’ tenure with the Texans. Vrabel made clear Wednesday he won’t be trying to recruit Hopkins, something he’s left behind when he moved from Ohio State to the NFL.

“I would really just want people that want to be here,” Vrabel said. “And then if that works out, then you go on to the next step. So that will be pretty much it until we either sign or don’t sign the next player.”

Trade rumors had chased Hopkins this entire offseason with Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray recovering from an ACL injury and the team looking to rebuild. Hopkins held talks with new general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon and continued living and working out privately in Arizona. But the writing was on the wall as he hired an agent — he previously represented himself — with the expectation he would need to work out a new contract in order for a trade to surface.

“For me, no. I have no ego,” Hopkins said before being released on the I Am Athlete podcast. “This is a business, this is a professional sport. Obviously, there’s a new regime, … so for me, understanding and knowing the business, I can’t go into it with an ego.”

Hopkins, who dealt with knee issues the past two seasons, posted 64 catches for 717 yards last season in nine games.

In Tennessee, he would join a roster that lost top receiver Robert Woods and is searching for a quarterback of the future. The Titans have veteran Ryan Tannehill still on the roster but also drafted Will Levis with the 33rd overall pick this offseason.

Returning weapons for the Titans include second-year receiver Treylon Burks, tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo and fourth-year pro Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.

Tennessee got an up-close look at Hopkins last offseason during a joint practice with Arizona that included a one-handed catch, as well as this toe-tap touchdown in 2021.

.@DeAndreHopkins gets two feet in. Touchdown, @AZCardinals!

📺: #AZvsTEN on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/0Sv1PLF7s1

— NFL (@NFL) September 12, 2021

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